Are the verbs "agobiar and "abrumar" interchangeable?

Question

Good afternoon:

Could someone tell me whether these two verbs are interchangeable, and if not, what is the difference? Thank you in advance.

• Me siento más agobiada cada día (I feel more overwhelmed each day).
• Estoy abrumada por mi trabajo (I'm overwhelmed by my job).

Answer 1

The question had already been answered, but I still thought it might be interesting to have a look at what context each verb would be shown in my dictionary...the English examples.

Immediately, I saw that "abrumar" was given as the Spanish word through which one can understand agobiar.

Here the entry for agobiar from Gran Diccionario Oxford

agobiar (abrumar)

[problemas/responsabilidad] to weigh o get … down;

[calor] to oppress, get … down;

Te agobia con tanta amabilidad. She smothers you with kindness;

Este niño me agobia. This child is too much for me

But of course, the English "to weigh or get down" is not exactly the same as "to overwhelm". Nor is it the same as to oppress or smother. Things which don't overwhelm you, can nonetheless get you down in English. Likewise, something might overwhelm a person but not weigh or get that person down.

Here the entry for abrumar:

abrumar to overwhelm;
abrumar a alguien con algo con problemas/quejas -- to wear somebody out with something;

La abrumaron con sus atenciones. She was overwhelmed by their kindness;

estar abrumado de trabajo -- to be snowed under with work;

abrumado por las preocupaciones -- weighed down with worry

I look forward to a day when I can look up two words like these two in a Spanish-Spanish dictionary and understand the subtleties, too.

• Thanks, Janice! - --Mariana-- Sep 1, 2009

Answer 2

Yes and no. In Spain, "agobiada" is very common, whereas "abrumada" would not be used much outside of formal or literary context. Of course, this could be different in other countries.

Answer 3

abrumar. (De brumar).

1. tr. Agobiar con un peso grave. > > 2. tr. agobiar (‖ preocupar gravemente). La responsabilidad lo > > abruma. > > 3. tr. Producir tedio o hastío. > > 4. tr. Producir asombro o admiración.

As you can see we even have it as a synonym of agobiar. We would of course say:

la resposnabilidad le abruma ...here in Madrid.

Answer 4

Thank you!

Answer 5

Hola amigos,

Esta es una buena frase para 'abrumar':

• Tanta información en Internet me abruma.
• Me abruma (asombra) tu silencio / desdicha / inteligencia.

Y esta para 'agobiar':

Cada vez más personas están agobiadas por la pobreza, la inseguridad y el desempleo.

Saludos cordiales.

• Thank you, Pablo! - --Mariana-- Sep 1, 2009